It took come-from-behind wins in three of the four games. However, the Peru State Bobcat baseball team gained their second straight four-game sweep of a Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Western Division opponent.
This weekend, the Bobcats took four games from the visiting Baker University Wildcats on Saturday and Sunday. With the four wins, Peru State improved to 24-15 overall and 16-8 in the HAAC. Baker fell to 6-33 overall and 3-19 in conference play.
The four wins stretched the Bobcats' winning streak to 11 games and assured Peru State of a berth in the HAAC's post-season tournament. Presently, the 'Cats are on top of the Western Division with a 16-8 mark with a pair of games remaining in conference action.
It appeared that the Bobcats had the first game well in hand, especially through the first five innings.
In the first inning, Peru State managed to get to the Baker starting pitcher for three runs.
singled to left-center, driving in Croushorn for the first run of the game with Tanner advancing to third. The fourth straight single, this one by
scored Tanner with Voigt advancing to third and Santiesteban going to second on the throw. Phil Lial
reached base on a Baker error, allowing Voigt to score. At the end of one, the 'Cats led 3-0.
After the first two outs of the second inning, Croushorn reached on a walk. Croushorn then stole second base and would score when Tanner doubled to deep left-center. After two complete innings, Peru State led 4-0.
In the bottom of the third, after two outs,
Tyler Cherin (Seattle, Wash.) reached on a walk. Cherin would score when
Ryan Grabowski (Omaha) doubled deep down the left field line, making it 5-0 Bobcats.
Baker would score one in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-1. Then, the Wildcats added four in the top of the sixth to knot the score at 5-5. It looked bleak for Peru State as Baker added two more in the top of the seventh to take their first lead at 7-5.
Faced with a possible loss, after the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh,
Jake Wright (Freeport, Fla.) was hit by a pitch.
George Palko (Kent, Wash.) came in to pinch run for Wright. Cherin reached on a walk, putting runners at first and second. Grabowski came to the plate and doubled over the left field fence, driving in both runners to tie the score at 7-7. After another Peru State out, the game went into extra innings.
And extra innings, it really was. The Bobcats had opportunities to win the game in the ninth and eleventh innings, as they left the bases loaded in the bottom of the eleventh.
It was finally in the 12
th inning that Peru State would win the game. With the top of the order up, Croushorn singled to shallow left. However, that was short-lived as the 'Cats grounded into a double play. Voigt singled to shallow center and eventually came home as Santiesteban doubled deep down the left field line, driving in Voigt for the 8-7 12 inning win.
Peru State scored its eight runs on 13 hits and committed three errors. Baker got its seven runs on eight hits and had one error.
Croushorn went four of six and scored two runs. Tanner, Voigt, Santiesteban, and Grabowski each had two hits with Grabowski driving in three and Santiesteban finishing with two RBI.
Tim Patterson
(Valdosta, Ga.) started the game and threw the first six innings. Patterson gave up five hits and five runs – four earned.
Brent Brown (Hemet, Calif.) finished one inning in relief. Brown gave up three runs, two earned runs, and struck out one. Voigt came in from the outfield and threw five innings, giving up no hits or runs, and struck out four to gain the win. For Voigt, it was his third win of the season to go along with two saves.
SATURDAY GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Saturday Game Two Action
The second game was much more of a pitcher's duel.
Neither team scored in the first two innings. It was the bottom of the third when Peru State would first get on the scoreboard.
Aubrey Dezarn (Las Vegas, Nev.) started the inning with a single to right. Dezarn moved to second when Croushorn laid down a sacrifice bunt. On a ground out, Dezarn moved to third. Voigt singled to third, driving in Dezarn for the first run of the game. With a stolen base, Voigt went to second and then went to third on a fielder's obstruction. Santiesteban produced a double to deep left field, driving in Voigt for the second run of the inning. At the end of three, Peru State was up 2-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bobcats would add an insurance run. Dezarn singled to shallow right and again moved up on another sacrifice bunt by Croushorn. Tanner singled to shallow left, advancing Dezarn to third. Voigt would reach on a Baker error and Dezarn scored on the play, making it 3-0 Peru State.
Baker would score one in the top of the seventh, but the Wildcats left the bases loaded and Peru State took the second game 3-1.
The Bobcats scored their three runs on six hits and they did not commit an error in the game. Baker scored their lone run on two hits and committed two miscues.
Dezarn was two of three and scored two of Peru State's runs to lead the Bobcat hitters. Voigt had two RBI while Santiesteban had the other RBI.
Grabowski pitched a complete seven-inning game to earn his second win of the year. Grabowski gave up just two hits, one earned run, and struck out four.
SATURDAY GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Sunday Game One Action
Sunday's first game started in a similar manner as Saturday's first game as Peru State gained the early control.
After neither team scored in the first two innings, the Bobcats would get on the board in the bottom of the third, after avoiding disaster in the top of the third as Baker left the bases loaded. Croushorn got on board with a walk and after the first out, stole second. Voigt singled up the middle to drive in Croushorn giving Peru State an early 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats would add another one in the bottom of the fourth. After the first out,
Derrick Davis (Orange Park, Fla.) homered over the left field fence on a 3-2 count. Davis was coming off an injury, so this was a good at bat. At the end of four, the Bobcats held a 2-0 advantage.
Baker would score one in each of the fifth and sixth innings to tie it at 2-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Santiesteban homered on the first pitch he saw to break the 2-2 tie. After the first out, Davis singled up the middle and would advance to second on the wild pitch. At that point,
Dan McGonigle (Blue Springs, Mo.) entered as a pinch runner for Davis. Wright reached with a walk and Palko came in to run for Wright. Grabowski was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cherin hit a sacrifice fly to shallow center, but it was deep enough to score McGonigle, giving Peru State a 4-2 lead going into the top of the seventh.
The Wildcats, however, were not through. Baker knotted the score at 4-4 and it looked like it could be a repeat of Saturday's first game.
But, in the bottom of the inning, Voigt hit a double to deep left-center to start things off. Voigt advanced to third on a Santiesteban sacrifice fly. Lial stepped to the plate and produced a game-winning hit to deep center, scoring Voigt and giving the Bobcats a 5-4 victory.
Peru State scored its five runs on eight hits and committed one error. Baker also had eight hits, but scored just four runs.
Voigt was three for four with one RBI while Davis went three for three with one RBI. Both scored one run.
Dezarn started the game and threw six innings. Dezarn gave up seven hits, three earned runs, and struck out three. Voigt and Dezarn switched positions as Voigt threw the final inning, giving up one earned run on one hit and struck out two. Voigt earned the win, his second in as many days.
SUNDAY GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Sunday Game Two Action
The fourth game started much differently than the previous three with Baker as the Wildcats got to the Bobcats for four runs in the top of the first inning.
In the second, Peru State managed to get some of those runs back. Santiesteban singled thru the hole at shortstop, but was caught stealing second for the first out. Lial reached on a walk and then went to second when Davis singled to shallow center. McGonigle came in to pinch run for Davis. Cherin reached on a walk to load the bases. Grabowski doubled deep down the left field line, clearing the bases as all three scored. At the end of two, it was Baker 4-3.
The Wildcats would go back up by three by adding two in the top of the third, making it 6-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, after the first out, Davis singled thru the hole at shortstop and once again, McGonigle came in to run for Davis. Cherin tripled to deep right center to drive in McGonigle, putting the score at 6-4 Baker. After another out, Pat Bramhall
(Vermillion, Kan.) singled thru the hole at shortstop, scoring Cherin. At the end four innings, the Wildcats remained on top 6-5.
Baker would add one run in the top of the fifth to make it 7-5.
In the bottom of the fifth, after the first out, Voigt singled up the middle and went to third when Santiesteban singled thru the hole at shortstop. Lial reached first on a fielder's choice, driving in Voigt, but Santiesteban was forced out at second. Through five complete innings, Baker still led 7-6.
Things appeared bleak for the Bobcats as the Wildcats added two in the top of the sixth inning to lead 9-6. The Bobcats could not cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning, but did hold Baker scoreless in the top of the seventh.
Voigt started the bottom of the seventh with a double deep down the left field line. After an out, Lial reached on a walk with Palko coming in to pinch run for Lial. After a pitching change, on a 2-2 count, Davis hit a three-run home run over the center field fence to tie the score at 9-9. Cherin was then hit by a pitch, which put the winning run on base. On the first pitch he saw, Grabowski blasted one over the center field fence, giving the Bobcats an 11-9 win and the four-game sweep.
The Bobcats scored their 11 runs on 14 hits, but committed five errors. Baker also had 14 hits and scored nine runs.
Davis was three for four with one run and three RBI to lead Peru State. Croushorn, Voigt, Santiesteban, and Grabowski each had two hits, with Grabowski having a team-high five RBI.
Marshall Klontz (Auburn, Wash.) started the game for Peru State and pitched five innings. Klontz gave up 14 hits, nine runs – eight earned, and struck out one.
Danny Borst (Moreno Valley, Calif.) threw the final two inning for Peru State for the win – his first of the season. Borst did not allow a hit or a run.
SUNDAY GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
Due to some cancellations, the Bobcats will just have a home double header remaining this coming Saturday, April 27. The Bobcats will host the Missouri Valley College Vikings with the first game of the double header scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
The following week, the HAAC Post-Season Tournament will be held May 1-4 at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo. With their wins this weekend over Baker, the Bobcats assured themselves of a place in the tourney. What their seed and first-round match-up will be will be determined after all games have been played through April 27.
If the Bobcats sweep the Vikings on Saturday, they would assure themselves of at least a tie for the Western Division of the HAAC. That would mean MidAmerica Nazarene University would have to gain a four-game sweep from Benedictine College, the third place team in the Western Division.
Overall in the HAAC, Peru State is presently third, just one game behind the co-leaders in the Eastern Division, Evangel University and Central Methodist University, both of whom are 16-6, with four games left on their regular season schedules.
